Power Guillotine
Submission
Also known as:
Ninja Choke
The Power Guillotine (Ninja Choke) is a high-percentage guillotine variation that uses a palm-to-palm grip with the choking hand's wrist blade driven deep across the throat, combined with a crunch-and-twist finishing mechanic. It is typically applied from closed guard, half guard, or front headlock when the opponent's head is trapped below your chest.
Quick Reference
Key principles
- · The wrist blade of the choking arm must sit directly across the trachea, not under the chin or on the jaw.
- · The free hand grips over the choking hand palm-to-palm (Gable grip or S-grip), reinforcing inward wrist pressure rather than relying on arm squeeze alone.
- · Finishing power comes from curling your torso toward the trapped head while simultaneously rotating your choking-side elbow toward your own hip.
- · Closed guard or high guard locks the opponent's posture down, preventing them from stacking or pulling away.
- · If the opponent attempts to pass to the choking-arm side, follow with a hip escape to re-angle and maintain throat pressure.
Execution
- 1 From front headlock or guard, shoot your choking arm deep so your wrist blade sits flush across the opponent's throat with your forearm under the neck.
- 2 Clasp your free hand over the choking hand using a palm-to-palm grip, keeping both wrists tight against the throat.
- 3 Close your guard high on the opponent's back or lock a high guard to break their posture and prevent stacking.
- 4 Crunch your chest toward the opponent's head while rotating your choking elbow downward toward your same-side hip, creating a shearing pressure on the trachea.
- 5 If they resist by posturing, pull your knees to your chest and extend your hips slightly to off-balance them back into the choke.
Common mistakes
- × Gripping too low on the neck or chin rather than seating the wrist blade across the throat, resulting in a jaw crank instead of a choke.
- × Squeezing with the arms only without incorporating the torso crunch and elbow rotation, which wastes energy and allows the opponent time to defend.
- × Keeping guard low on the opponent's waist, which lets them posture up, stack, and relieve all choking pressure.
